Children who eat breakfast each day may have an advantage when it comes to learning. So shift your thinking to beyond sharpening their pencils to sharpening their minds by making a balanced breakfast a habit in your home. Here’s how:
- Teach your kids how to build a balanced breakfast
A balanced breakfast includes foods from at least three of the four food groups in Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide:
- Vegetables and Fruit
- Grain Products
- Milk and Alternatives
- Meat and Alternatives
- Beat the morning time crunch by planning ahead
A little planning the night before can go a long way when you’re in a rush to get out the door in the morning:
- Make sure homework is done and school bags are packed before bedtime.
- Get lunch items ready and store in the fridge the night before.
- Have the kids set the table for breakfast after dinner.
- Keep a bowl of fresh fruit on the counter and whole grain breads and cereals within easy reach for children.
- Keep milk and juices in easy to pour containers.
- Stock easy to pack breakfast items like cereal bars, juice boxes, and yogurt tubes for mornings when you need to send kids to school with a quick breakfast to eat on the go.
- Try these quick and easy breakfast ideas
A nutritious breakfast can be as quick and easy as a bowl of whole grain cereal with sliced bananas and a glass of milk. Try these other simple ideas:
- Half a whole grain bagel toasted, topped with sliced cheese and tomato.
- A yogurt berry smoothie and a handful of trail mix with nuts and seeds.
- Cheesy scrambled eggs topped with salsa in a flax seed tortilla wrap with a glass of orange juice.
Be sure to set a good example by starting your day with a balanced breakfast too. Your kids will be much more likely to make breakfast a healthy habit if you sit down to enjoy breakfast with them as often as possible.